19th-22nd November 2019:

Festival Details Coming Soon!

Claddagh National School, supported by the Arts Council, and in partnership with the local library service, local bookshops and other local schools, will host the third Claddagh Festival of Children’s Books from 19th-22nd November.

Expect visiting authors and illustrators, no less than TWO Children’s Books Ireland Book Doctors, writing workshops, storytelling, a raucous poetry flash mob on the streets of Galway and the THIRD edition of the city’s first-ever poetry slam for kids.

FREE FAMILY AFTERNOON

Our school will be open to the public from 2-6 p.m. on Friday, 22Nd November, for a Free Family Afternoon, which will feature workshops with authors and illustrators, storytelling, doodling, bookseller visits, face-painting, fancy dress and more.

All are welcome!

Claddagh Festival of Children’s Books 2018

The second edition of our little festival, which took place in November 2018, was an enormously enjoyable few days of reading, talking, writing, drawing, reciting and craic.

Highlights from the 2018 Festival

Claddagh Festival of Children’s Books 2017

In 2017, we proudly hosted our first little festival for little people's books from November 15th-18th. This was our inaugural festival, and we were absolutely delighted that all our hard work and preparation paid off so well - children from all around Galway had a blast!

Visiting authors, illustrators and storytellers held children spellbound, both here in the school and at a number of venues around Galway. The festival also featured a hugely popular visit from the Book Doctor and a poetry slam for kids, amongst a range of other exciting and fun book-based activities and events.

Many of the events were open to the public, and all were be ABSOLUTELY FREE.

Highlights of the 2017 festival

Ireland's First Poetry Flash Mob

"Words Are Ours", recited in Galway City Centre by children from Claddagh NS, the Jes and Scoil Bhríde in Shantalla.

Open Afternoon with CBI Book Doctor, Des Kenny of Kenny's Bookshops, Author/Illustrator Derek Mulveen and much more!